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ART June Meeting



                                        JUNE 2002 MEETING NOTICE

Archivists on Broadway:  The Shubert Archives

Please join the staff of the Shubert Archive in the auditorium of
Broadway's historic Lyceum Theatre for a lively presentation on the history
of the Shubert Brothers, the theatrical company they founded, and the
archive that preserves their legacy.

Established in 1976, the Shubert Archive, housed in the penthouse and
backstage areas of the Lyceum Theatre, is a project of the Shubert
Foundation.  Its mission is to preserve the business and artistic records
of the Shubert Brothers and the Shubert Organization.  The collection
documents every aspect of the Shuberts' careers as producers, managers, and
theatre owners.  The earliest records date from the 1890s when Sam, Lee and
Jacob J. (J.J.) Shubert leased their first theatre, the Bastable, in
Syracuse, NY, while the latest documents cover contemporary productions and
events, including Cats' record-breaking performance and playbills and
clippings for the current Broadway season.  The majority of the collection
focuses heavily on the first four decades of the twentieth century when the
Shubert Brothers were at the height of their power and influence as
producers and theatre owners.

The collection comprises more than 6,900 linear feet of business, financial
and legal records, and correspondence.  The Shuberts' producing activities
are represented by scripts, musical scores, scene and costume designs,
photographs, and recordings.  In addition, the Archive houses a unique
collection of architectural plans for theatres in New York City and across
the U.S. The Archive also houses papers, photographs, paintings and
memorabilia related to the three Shubert brothers and their families.  In
addition to theatrical materials, researchers will find much information
related to business management, union and labor relations, Times Square
history, and trends in popular culture.  The Archive also has a significant
collection of the business papers of Klaw and Erlanger (The Theatrical
Syndicate), the Shuberts' rivals.

Maryann Chach, Director, has been on the staff since 1987.  She has worked
previously at the libraries of the Museum of Broadcasting, the Educational
Film Library Association, and New York University. A longtime board member
and Executive Secretary of the Theatre Library Association, she is
co-editor of Pleasure Gardens, vol. 21 in the Performing Arts Resources
series, and has contributed articles to numerous publications.

Reagan Fletcher, Archivist, has been with the Archive since 1985.  Prior to
that he taught in the Texas public school system and at Lubbock Christian
University and Texas Tech University.  He has directed numerous theatrical
productions both in New York and regionally.  He was production liaison for
Shubert productions of Lettice & Lovage, Tru, A Streetcar Named Desire, and
The Most Happy Fella, and production supervisor for the 75th anniversary
celebration of Shubert Alley.  He has also been a contributing writer for
Theater Week.

Mark E. Swartz, Ph. D., Archivist, has worked at the Archive since
1988.  Previous employment includes positions at the Harvard Theatre
Collection, Anthology Film Archives, and NYU's Elmer Holmes Bobst
Library.  He has written articles on fairground cinema, motion-picture tent
shows, as well as various aspects of the Shubert brothers and the company
they founded, and he is editor of the Archive's annual publication, The
Passing Show.  His book, Oz Before the Rainbow: L.Frank Baum's "The
Wonderful Wizard of Oz" on Stage and Screen to 1939, was published in
October 2000.

Sylvia Wang, Assistant Archivist, began her affiliation with the Archive in
1996.  Previous work includes jobs at Art Forum and NYU's Department of
Performance Studies.  Her academic background includes anthropology and
film, and she is currently pursuing graduate work in performance
studies.  Her specific area of interest is sound art, and her work can be
heard on CD and the Internet.  At present, she is completing her doctoral
dissertation, "An Aesthetics of the Invisible."

DATE:   Monday June 17th, 2002

TIME:   5:30 pm - 6:15 pm - social ,  6:15 pm - 8:00 pm - program

PLACE:  Lyceum Theatre, 149 West 45th Street (east of Broadway)

DIRECTIONS:          By subway: Take 1, 2, 3, 7, N, R, S to Times Square,
walk north to 45th St. and    walk east Or B, D, F, V to 42nd St, walk
north to 45th St. and turn west.

FEE:            ART Members $3.  Non-members $5.
RSVP:       By Thursday June 13th to Mindy Gordon,
gordonm@mail.rockefeller.edu or telephone (914) 366-6350.  Please remember
hosting a meeting represents a financial and meeting space commitment on
the part of our hosts.  Please be reasonably sure you can attend the
meeting before responding.

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